1. Technical Field
This invention is related to tools and methods that are used, for example, in oil and gas drilling and completion. The present invention is related, for example, to a device or apparatus for controlling fluid flow within a tubular string. In a particular example, the device or apparatus is used in the control of fluid flow between a tubular string inner flow passage and its annular flow passage in the wellbore by selectively and remotely sending a command to the apparatus disposed within wellbore.
2. Discussion of Background
U.S. Patent Application Publication US20120255741A1 published on Oct. 11, 2012 for ANNULAR CIRCULATION VALVE AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME, by A. Stewart, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Patent Application Publication US20110088914A1 published on Apr. 21, 2011 for METHOD OF ACTIVATING A DOWNHOLE TOOL ASSEMBLY, by M. Howell, et al. and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Patent Application Publication US20110048723A1 published on Mar. 3, 2011 for MULTI-ACTING CIRCULATING VALVE by J. Edwards, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Patent Application Publication US20110088906A1 published on Apr. 21, 2011 for PRESSURE EQUALIZING A BALL VALVE THROUGH AN UPPER SEAL BYPASS, by T. Myerley, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,327,954B2 issued on Dec. 11, 2012 for OPTIMIZED REAMING SYSTEM BASED UPON WEIGHT ON TOOL, by P. Desai, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,905,292B2 issued on Mar. 15, 2011 for PRESSURE EQUALIZATION DEVICE FOR DOWNHOLE TOOLS, by C. Beall, et al. and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,728B2 issued on May 19, 2009 for BALL OPERATED BACK PRESSURE VALVE, by D. Winslow, et al. and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,520,336B2, issued on Apr. 21, 2009 for MULTIPLE DART DROP CIRCULATING TOOL, by M. Modelli, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,289B2 issued on Mar. 25, 2008 for DART-OPERATED BIG BORE BY-PASS VALVE, by P. Lee, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,288B2 issued on Mar. 25, 2008 for BALL OPERATED BY-PASS TOOL FOR USE IN DRILLSTRING, by P. Lee, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,334,650B2 issued on Feb. 26, 2008 for APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DRILLING A WELLBORE USING CASING, by R. Giroux, et al. and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,255B2 issued on Aug. 2, 2005 for ACTIVATING BALL ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH A BY-PASS TOOL IN A DRILL TRING, by P. Lee, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,109B1 issued on Dec. 11, 2001 for DOWNHOLE VALVE, by R. Pringle, et al. and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,999B1 issued on Sep. 18, 2001 for FLUID FLOW CONTROL DEVICES AND METHODS FOR SELECTIVE ACTUATION OF VALVES AND HYDRAULIC DRILLING TOOLS, by C. Dewey, et al. and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,664A issued on Nov. 21, 2000 for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHUTTING IN A WELL WHILE LEAVING DRILL STEM IN THE BOREHOLE, by J. Baird, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,687A issued on Mar. 19, 1996 for DOWNHOLE VALVE FOR OIL/GAS WELL, by P. Lee, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,308A issued on Aug. 1, 1995 for DEVICE FOR REMOTELY ACTUATING EQUIPMENT COMPRISING A BEAN-NEEDLE SYSTEM, by P. Morin, et al. and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,138 issued on Jun. 7, 1994 for ADJUSTABLE STABILIZER, by C. Dewey, et al. and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,611 issued on Sep. 17, 1991 for PRESSURE OPERATED CIRCULATING VALVE, by C. Cochran, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,199 issued on Dec. 26, 1999 for DOWNHOLE VALVE FOR USE WHEN DRILLING AN OIL AND GAS WELL, by P. Lee, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,289 issued on Apr. 7, 1987 for REMOTE CONTROL SELECTOR VALVE, by W. Schoeffler, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,894 issued on Mar. 11, 1986 for BALL ACTUATED DUMP VALVE, by R. Jadwin, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,233 issued on Mar. 18, 1986 for DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE ACTUATED VENT ASSEMBLY, by F. George, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,313 issued on Jun. 5, 1984 for CIRCULATION VALVE, by M. McMahan, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,571 issued on May 1, 1984 for CIRCULATION VALVE, by D. Hushbeck, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,166 issued on Feb. 7, 1978 for VALVE APPARATUS FOR DEEP DRILLING, by W. Tiraspolsky, et al. and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,412 issued on Jan. 5, 1971 for DRILL STRING DUMP VALVE, by D. Hagar, et al. and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,165 issued on Aug. 30, 1938 for TESTING CIRCULATING VALVE, by J. Holden, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,128,352, issued on Oct. 20, 1936 for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RELEASING FLUID FROM DRILL PIPE, by T. Creighton, and is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 163,161 issued on May 11, 1875 for IMPROVEMENT IN MAINSPRINGS FOR WATCHES, by JOHN A. DAWSON, and is herein incorporated by reference.
One example of the current invention is to introduce a method and apparatus for selectively and remotely controlling fluid flow through a tubular string and its surrounding wellbore annulus and, thus, changing the fluid flow profile within wellbore. In one example, a fraction or all of the fluid is diverted from within the inner fluid flow passage of the tubular string and the apparatus to the wellbore annulus. In one example, the current invention makes it possible to control the fluid flow profile in the wellbore and tubular string and, accordingly, significantly reduce risks and operating cost associated with cutting beds. Risks associated with fluid-losses are caused by various reasons, some of which were explained by way of examples: risks associated with accumulation of suspended cuttings, among other operating risks, where change of fluid flow profile within the wellbore is desired. In another example of the current invention, a method is introduced for remotely operating a downhole apparatus selectively into a desired state without limiting other operations, such as flow rate or flow pressure, during periods when it is not desired to change fluid flow pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,199 to Lee discloses a plastic, i.e., deformable ball used to block a flow opening in the sleeve for positioning the sleeve and aligning flow ports. This form of flow control apparatus is operated using what is called drop ball. A ball is inserted into the string at the surface and pumped down the inner flow passage of the tubular string to engage the sleeve profile. Such drop ball-operated apparatus often introduces limitations to the drilling practices, causing increase in operating cost. For example, the drop ball introduces restrictions within the inner flow passage and imposes limitations on running services using wireline to access, for example, to run free point services or interact with logging while drilling equipment located beneath the drop ball operated apparatus.
Another form of flow control apparatus, sometimes called bypass tool or called circulation apparatus, defines ports in the apparatus body which are initially closed by an axially movable sleeve.
Other downhole remotely-operated apparatus, such as those in sited references, induce limitation in the operating practice since fluid flow properties such as flow rate or pressure must to be kept within certain levels to maintain the apparatus in the corresponding state. This limitation causes the drilling operation efficiency to suffer as it may be desirable to operate the drilling fluid, for example, with a different flow profile, such as at a different flow rate or pressure that my undesirably cause the apparatus to change mode.
What is needed is a way to selectively turn on or off the flow control device, locking it in a particular desired fluid flow profile (or “state”) when in an “off” or disabled mode along with a way to selectively turn “on” the flow control device (into an “enabled” mode) and thereby be enabled to change to another desired fluid flow profile (change to another “state”). To further satisfy this need, what is needed is a way to communicate the desired mode and desired state to the flow control device using deliberate changes to the environment surrounding the flow control device, such as altering the pressure of the fluid in the tubular or wellbore in a predetermined sequence, or using a combination of sensors to discern the communicated command. What is further needed is a way to power the actuation of the flow control device between the various fluid flow states and power to set the enabled or disabled mode.